I gambled on pool for about six months. After that I was wagering on my ability and I had enough cushion of past winnings to never look back from there!
I was playing a stranger one night. A tall cleancut fine looking young man. After a couple hours it was obvious he knew he was outclassed but he wouldn't pull up. He didn't say anything awkward but he seemed desperate somehow. Busted him clean down to his socks. By this time I had came to value people who would lose a good bit with good grace so I walked to the door with him talking. As we stepped out into the cold evening I saw a lady sitting in the one strange car. He had stopped to light a cigarette and smoke it facing the other way before facing the music. Maybe he was hoping for the walking stick that he was too proud to ask for. When I walked over to the passenger side of his car I saw the woman had a small baby on her shoulder, looked like she might be pregnant again. It was far too cold for them to be sitting in parking lots while her husband or boyfriend played pool.
I talked to her a little bit and gave a little advice that I knew wouldn't be heeded. I also gave her roughly half of the money I had taken over the pool table. I hadn't really done anything wrong but it sure felt like it. That wasn't the last time I gambled but that took a lot of the fun out of it. While I busted many people later, it never was by intent as it had been for several years before encountering this couple. A good hustler died in that parking lot that evening.
Mitch, good stories you posted while I was typing! Reminded me of something similar. Pickings were pretty lean at the moment on the poor side of town and I was still young enough to pass for a college kid or not much older. I headed over to the rich side of town. I found small action, enough to justify the trip with several people donating. When things had settled down a bit one asked if I would wait around while he called a cousin. "Sure" it was only about midnight or a bit earlier and somebody called in should be good for twenty a game or more.
His cousin wasn't happy to be rolled out of bed since he had to work an early shift the next day but the guy I had played talked him into coming get his money back and he no doubt told him I was toting a pretty thick wad.
I sat at the bar drinking a beer and chilling. When his cousin stepped in the door he took one look at me and started cussing the guy! The cousin knew me well from one of my usual haunts and we wouldn't be playing.
Hu
I was playing a stranger one night. A tall cleancut fine looking young man. After a couple hours it was obvious he knew he was outclassed but he wouldn't pull up. He didn't say anything awkward but he seemed desperate somehow. Busted him clean down to his socks. By this time I had came to value people who would lose a good bit with good grace so I walked to the door with him talking. As we stepped out into the cold evening I saw a lady sitting in the one strange car. He had stopped to light a cigarette and smoke it facing the other way before facing the music. Maybe he was hoping for the walking stick that he was too proud to ask for. When I walked over to the passenger side of his car I saw the woman had a small baby on her shoulder, looked like she might be pregnant again. It was far too cold for them to be sitting in parking lots while her husband or boyfriend played pool.
I talked to her a little bit and gave a little advice that I knew wouldn't be heeded. I also gave her roughly half of the money I had taken over the pool table. I hadn't really done anything wrong but it sure felt like it. That wasn't the last time I gambled but that took a lot of the fun out of it. While I busted many people later, it never was by intent as it had been for several years before encountering this couple. A good hustler died in that parking lot that evening.
Mitch, good stories you posted while I was typing! Reminded me of something similar. Pickings were pretty lean at the moment on the poor side of town and I was still young enough to pass for a college kid or not much older. I headed over to the rich side of town. I found small action, enough to justify the trip with several people donating. When things had settled down a bit one asked if I would wait around while he called a cousin. "Sure" it was only about midnight or a bit earlier and somebody called in should be good for twenty a game or more.
His cousin wasn't happy to be rolled out of bed since he had to work an early shift the next day but the guy I had played talked him into coming get his money back and he no doubt told him I was toting a pretty thick wad.
I sat at the bar drinking a beer and chilling. When his cousin stepped in the door he took one look at me and started cussing the guy! The cousin knew me well from one of my usual haunts and we wouldn't be playing.
Hu
, it a person choice. 
